Five Florida women filed a civil lawsuit against Dr. Jorge Zeledon and his Sebring medical practice, alleging they were sexually assaulted during routine examinations. The lawsuit, filed February 27 in the Circuit Court of the Tenth Judicial Circuit in and for Highlands County, names Kidney and Internal Medicine Specialist of Central Florida, Jorge I. Zeledon MD, PA, and his wife Marta E. Arango-Zeledon as defendants. Four of the five female plaintiffs allege they were subjected to medically unnecessary and non-consensual sexual touching by Zeledon at the Sebring-area practice.

“Plaintiffs did not invite, induce, ratify, implicitly consent, or comply with the sexual contact described herein,” the 10-page complaint states. The lawsuit alleges that Zeledon’s “sexual misconduct did not arise out of any diagnosis, treatment or care of Plaintiffs or even the guise of medical care.” According to the filing, “There was no medical rationale for Doctor to touch Plaintiffs in the manner described herein.”

Plaintiff B.F. alleges that while accompanying her father to appointments with Zeledon, the doctor put his hand on her back and then buttocks. After the incident, she claims she did not allow her father to see Zeledon again for fear she would be groped again. Plaintiff M.F. alleges she was left alone in the exam room with Zeledon, who told her he had reviewed her recent mammogram records and needed to check her breasts without providing any covering.

“Doctor inappropriately and without medical justification fondled Plaintiff M.F.’s breasts and nipples,” the filing states, adding that he also grabbed her buttocks as she left. Several plaintiffs allege repeated incidents occurring across multiple appointments, with one alleging inappropriate touching spanning from August 2019 to November 2023. All plaintiffs were identified by pseudonyms to protect their privacy.

Attorneys with Andreozzi + Foote, who filed the civil lawsuit, say that since August 2025, authorities have filed multiple criminal charges against Zeledon in separate cases involving allegations from more than a dozen individuals. Partner Nathaniel L. Foote said he could not say how many years Zeledon has allegedly been assaulting women but credited local law enforcement with helping uncover the alleged crimes. “Our experience is that it takes time for everyone impacted by a perp to come forward, so it wouldn’t surprise us [if there were more],” he said.

The lawsuit also brings a claim for negligent retention and supervision against the practice entities and Marta E. Arango-Zeledon. “Wife knew or should have known of Doctor’s unfitness to serve in his role and failed to intervene or protect patients of Defendants and failed to take appropriate action and/or report to the appropriate authorities in violation of her duties of care individually, and as an agent of Defendants,” the complaint states. The filing alleges that “Wife was told directly by Plaintiff(s) and/or others that Doctor had sexually assaulted and/or harassed women before the cessation of Plaintiff(s)’s abuse and assaults and harassment by Doctor.”

The women argue the defendants owed a duty to them to use “reasonable care” and ensure their safety, care, and well-being while they were in the office. “Defendants breached their duty of care to Plaintiffs by continuing to employ Doctor, failing to adequately supervise Doctor, and thereby failing to protect Plaintiffs from sexual misconduct, battery and lewd and lascivious acts committed by their employee and agent, Doctor,” the complaint states.

“Plaintiffs place immense trust in the physicians who treat them,” Andreozzi + Foote Partner Benjamin Andreozzi said in a statement. “This lawsuit alleges Dr. Zeledon abused that trust and used his position with his own medical practice to harm patients. Civil litigation provides a way to examine his conduct and pursue accountability.” The plaintiffs seek compensatory damages and costs, along with a jury trial. Andreozzi + Foote, one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse law firms that has represented survivors in cases against Penn State University, the Boy Scouts of America, and the Catholic Church, serves as counsel with Horowitz Law in Fort Lauderdale as co-counsel.